‘A Good Person’ Isn’t Necessarily a Good Movie

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

Two decades after sitcom star Zach Braff made his writing-directing debut with the polarizing Garden State (2004), we are given his fourth feature behind the camera.

A Good Person stars Florence Pugh, one of the best actors of her generation and Braff’s girlfriend at the time of production.

Like Garden State, A Good Person focuses on young people dealing with grief in Braff’s home state of New Jersey. Fortunately for viewers, Pugh’s protagonist is a huge step up from Natalie Portman as Braff’s love interest in State, and probably the biggest highlight of the new film.

Allison’s life (Pugh) takes a turn for the worse when she’s responsible for the deaths of her fiancé’s sister and brother-in-law while

OPEN JAM

7-10 p.m. Play your own percussion, acoustic or electric instruments every Monday night at Knuckleheads. Amps are allowed, but drums are not. Knuckleheads, 1717 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. knuckleheadsmusic.com.

TUESDAY | 04

TRIVIA TUESDAY

6:30 p.m. Test your knowledge every Tuesday night. Teams of two to six people are welcome to join in for a chance to win prizes. Call beforehand to reserve a table. Selma’s Chicago Pizzeria, 31781 Camino Capistrano, Suite 201, San Juan Capistrano. 949.429.3599. selmaspizza.com.

STORYTIME AT THE SJC LIBRARY

10:30-11 a.m. Bring the kids to storytime, held every Tuesday morning. Children will get to read books and sing songs. The event is geared for the 2- to 6-yearold age range. San Juan Capistrano Library, 31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.1752. ocpl.org.

WEDNESDAY | 05

WEEKLY STORYTIME AT CASA ROMANTICA

10:30 a.m. Bring your toddler to roam the gardens at Casa Romantica, sing and dance, and enjoy a book reading. Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente. 949.498.1139. casaromantica.org.

OCEAN INSTITUTE

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES: JOYCE HOFFMAN

6 p.m. The Ocean Institute’s Distinguished Speaker Series, presented by the Nicholas Endowment, brings innovations, real-world research, exotic experiences and discoveries to the surface through presentations from an ocean of experts. Legendary surf icon Joyce Hoffman will share memories of her adventures as a woman in a predominantly male sport. Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. 949.496.2274. oceaninstitute.org.

LIVE MUSIC AT STILLWATER

6 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. DJ Tom Wellner will perform on Country Wednesday. StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. danapointstillwater.com.

TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE BREWHOUSE

6:30-8:30 p.m. The BrewHouse hosts a trivia night every Wednesday. Test your knowledge with friends or show up solo and join a team. The BrewHouse, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite D3, San Juan Capistrano. 949.481.6181. brewhousesjc.com.

H.H. COTTON’S

LIVE MUSIC SHOWCASE

7-10 p.m. Every Wednesday, H.H. Cotton’s will host this live music showcase to feature talented local musicians from around the area and will occur in the restaurant’s Hamilton Room (the back room). H.H. Cotton’s, 201 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. hhcottons.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KNUCKLEHEADS looking at her cellphone as she’s driving on the freeway.

8-10 p.m. Knuckleheads is open for food, drinks and live music. Performers of all skill levels are welcome. If you are a musician, do stand-up comedy or the spoken word, this is the place to be on Wednesday nights. Knuckleheads Sports Bar, 1717 North El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.492.2410. knuckleheadsmusic.com.

The weaknesses in A Good Person are primarily from Braff, unfortunately. Here, we have another case of a down-to-earth dramedy filmmaker who goes full circle as a parody of his style.

Whether it’s the twee indie pop songs, the ironic comic relief, the subdued drama or the preachy climax, A Good Person just feels redundant and dated to what initially made Braff a successful director in 2004.

There are also a few cringe-worthy moments between the younger characters that feel a bit out of touch with young people in real life.

The strangest part of A Good Person is how the detail of Allie checking her cellphone while driving on the freeway is barely acknowledged, feeling like an afterthought until the very last minute. As if Braff almost forgot his lead actually was responsible for the inciting incident.

Instantly, the engagement to Nathan (Chinaza Uche) is off. She’s depressed, reclusive, and hooked on the pain medication for her accident injuries. Meanwhile, Nathan, his dad, Daniel (Morgan Freeman), and his niece, Ryan (Celeste O’Connor), are dealing with the deaths in the family in their own ways, which ultimately leads them back to Allie.

The best scene in A Good Person is between Pugh and Alex Wolff, who plays a former schoolmate nagging Allie for denying her substance problem. It’s always great to see two young, powerhouse talents perform off each other effortlessly.

Allie has potential as a character, and the plot could be executed well, because both are similar to what we saw with Melora Walters in PT Anderson’s Magnolia (1999) or Naomi Watts in AG Iñárritu’s 21 Grams (2003). But, sadly, I’m once again going to have to suggest revisiting the previous pictures more than seeing the new one. DP